


Hurricane Drunk

by WetSammyWinchester



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Happy Ending, M/M, Meant To Be, Misunderstandings, Past Jensen Ackles/Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Pining, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:08:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23585884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WetSammyWinchester/pseuds/WetSammyWinchester
Summary: Jensen inherits half of a Caribbean island and resort with a stranger he’s never met. World’s End is gorgeous and so is his new business partner.
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Comments: 23
Kudos: 122
Collections: SPN Meant to Be Master Collection





	Hurricane Drunk

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Amberdreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amberdreams/gifts).



> Written for the SPN Meant To Be prompt: Helen had inherited an island off the coast of Brazil – jointly with a stranger, Jack Logan. Its name – Island of Storms – just summed up the wildly antagonistic relationship that promptly developed between the two of them!
> 
> Thanks to artist amberdreams for her lovely artwork! Check out her art masterpost here. We talked about teaming up on this prompt from the beginning and I’m so glad that it happened. Also big thanks to betas nigeltde and monicawoe! (Some rewrites were done afterward so all errors are mine). 
> 
> After everything that’s going on in the world right now, it was fun to create this bit of tropical fluff. The author of the James Bond novels was one inspiration for Jared’s uncle and he owned a private island resort similar to the one described here. The rest of the fic and its details are just from my imagination!

**Prologue**

Jensen paced frantically on the lobby carpet. The hurricane shutters covering the two bay windows rattled in the wind like they were made of popsicle sticks not reinforced steel. If he was smart he’d take cover in the shelter downstairs, lock himself in with a fifth of whiskey, because one good blast from the storm would send a palm tree through those windows like a battering ram. But he couldn’t. All he could think about was the argument he had with Jared before the hurricane hit.

 _“Is that all we are - business partners? Is that all last week meant to you?”_ Jensen had asked right before Jared had stormed off the porch in his stupid board shorts and his stupid flip flops two hours ago. 

Now the storm was kicking in and Jared was nowhere to be found. All the guests and employees left hours ago. Jensen should have too but he was torn between searching for Jared or listening to common sense and heading down to the basement shelter.

The teak front doors slammed open with a wet slap of wind and Jared stood there, barefoot and drenched, his wet hair whipping back and forth across his face when another gust blew in the open door behind him. Jared stumbled forward a step, looking exhausted, and Jensen caught him before he fell.

Jensen wasn’t sure whether to slap Jared or hug him. 

“Where the hell have you been?” 

**Act One: Pulling Into Port**

It was a miserable trip to reach this sandy stretch of paradise. Jensen sat elbow to elbow with talkative tourists and their children on two packed commercial flights, then boarded a rickety puddle jumper that shook his kidneys loose, then took a boat ride driven by a really intense muscle-bound guy, Chris, who claimed to be a bartender at the resort.

Now he had arrived and wasn’t sure which was bluer - the sky or the water. Jensen tried to push his windblown hair into place as he walked up the wooden dock. He straightened his jacket but it was no use. Linen should have been the right choice for the tropical temperatures but between the travel and the humidity, the suit was a wrinkled mess. 

Chris pushed past him with a suitcase in each hand and one tucked under his arm. 

“Hey, be careful with that,” Jensen said. Chris kept walking up the dock without a look back.

Up ahead, Jensen spied the iconic thatched roof of the main lodge from the website. The sign hanging at the end of the dock read _Welcome to World’s End._

He never traveled here with Robert in the five years they worked together. World’s End had been the author’s personal residence after his first novel hit the international bestseller lists. Two decades later, Robert got tired of island living and turned it into a private resort and tax shelter managed by his only nephew.

A mix of palm trees, tall and short, lined the stone path from the dock and blocked the sunshine with their fronds. A rustling came from the bushes beyond and before Jensen could think of what dangerous predators lived in the tropics, a half-naked guy in board shorts and broad shoulders popped out followed by a large mutt who seemed to be more paws than claws, startling Jensen who stumbled back a step from them. The dog sniffed at Jensen’s linen pants and then started licking his hand.

“Sadie, get back here. You need some help?” the guy asked, flashing a big smile complete with dimples.

“No, I’m fine. The other guy—the bartender—took my bags in.”

“Chris? Wow, he must like you. He never helps me with anything,” the guy said looking up at the front entrance where the bartender walked through moments before. He stuck his hand out. “I’m Jared. Welcome to World’s End.”

Jensen’s face tightened and he hesitated before he shook Jared’s hand. He hoped for more time to check out the property before meeting his new co-owner. “Then you’re the guy I’m here to see.”

Jared’s bright smile dropped a little. “Then you must be Jensen. Why don’t we go inside?”

~~~

“Welcome to World’s End, Mr. Ackles.” 

Despite the clingy floral dress and hippy curls, the redhead behind the registration desk gave him an efficient nod as she slid the room key across to him. “I’m Dani, Head of Customer Relations. Happy hour starts in the bar in about an hour. Chris makes a mean banana daiquiri.”

“Chris?” Jensen asked. “About yea tall and really—” He held his hand up to his shoulder and then motioned broadly across his chest before flexing his bicep.

“Angry? Buff? Annoying?” she responded with a grin. “Yep, that’s him.”

“Huh. I wouldn’t have taken him for a banana daiquiri man.”

She leaned in with a conspiratorial glance around the lobby and Jensen did the same. “This place is magical that way. We’ll have you drinking cocktails with little umbrellas by the end of this week.”

He leaned back and laughed. “Not a chance.”

Jensen slipped the key into his pocket and walked around the small lobby to admire the view. The Atlantic met the Caribbean sea here and the water was vibrant aqua blue like a travel poster come to life. On the horizon, Jensen could see the outline of a few of the bigger islands including the one he had landed on in that puddle jumper. 

Based on pictures that Jensen had seen, the place hadn’t changed much from the days when it had been Robert’s personal retreat. The biggest-selling author of spy novels in the world needed a place to relax and party with his friends. Informal and friendly, the lobby was a throwback to the 1970s with its classic bamboo furniture with bright floral-print covers and curtains. Along one wall, a large display case caught Jensen’s eye. He smiled at the rows of hardcover books, first editions of Robert’s novels, and ran his index finger down the brightly-colored spines. Each one had a familiar title with a twist on the name of Robert’s CIA covert ops hero, Nick Glass: _Dark Reflection, Through An Open Window, A Glass Full of Regret,_ and the last book which was Jensen’s favorite _, The Glass Inheritance._

The last book sat on a stand. It was opened to its front cover where the inscription read:

_To my nephew Jared, May you find your own adventure in life. Grab onto it with both hands and don’t let go. Uncle Robert_

A framed picture sat in the cabinet next to the book and Jensen picked it up. Taken on the beach below, it showed a skinny teenager with a now-familiar smile and ugly swim trunks standing next to an older distinguished man with silver hair swept back from his face. Jensen glanced back at the inscription on the book when he felt someone come up to his side.

“So, you worked for my uncle?” Jared asked. He had thrown on a sleeveless t-shirt and flip flops but his hair was still a mess as if he had just stepped out of the surf. 

“I did,” Jensen replied. “I handled his business affairs for the last five years.”

Jared made a humming noise to indicate he was listening but stared at the photo in Jensen’s hand. Other than the height and fox-shaped eyes, Jensen couldn’t see much of a resemblance between Robert the playboy author and his beach bum nephew.

“Business affairs, huh?” Jared said.

“How about you?” Jensen answered. “I understand that you’ve traveled a lot.”

Jared plucked the picture frame from Jensen’s hand and gave it a small smile before putting it back on the shelf. “Yeah, Fiji, Hawaii, Turks and Caicos. I spent my summers and holidays at World’s End as a kid until my parents died and then lived here off and on after that. I talked him into not selling the place.”

“The hotel was your idea?” 

“Me and my friends. We’ve been running it ever since. Not that Robert visited.”

“Well, he was busy running around the world himself,” Jensen replied. “Guess you could call it a mid-life crisis.”

Jared snorted. “Gambling. Parties on his yacht. Younger women… and men,” he glanced at Jensen and flushed. “Yeah, guess he was checking off all the boxes on his bucket list.”

“I’m so sorry about your folks,” Jensen said softly. Jared shrugged.

“It was a long time ago. How about you change out of that suit and into something more comfortable, and I’ll give you a tour of the place.”

Jensen looked down at his linen suit. “More comfortable?”

There was an awkward pause. “Or not,” Jared said and clapped Jensen on the shoulder again. “Let’s check out World’s End then.”

~~~

The hotel was situated on a private island with over seventy acres of land. Seven guest rooms in the main lodge included a spacious honeymoon suite and meant the resort had a maximum capacity of fourteen guests. Four bungalows for the employees were tucked away in the palms and overgrowth around the back of the property. A large deck with a tiki bar and restaurant overlooked the white sand beach where blue sun umbrellas and a scattering of lounge chairs and tables surrounded a pool and hot tub. Like the main lodge, the rest of the hotel was homey and comfortable. They climbed the steps to the deck at the end of the tour as Jensen continued to scribble notes on his pad.

“And the restaurant and bar serve breakfast and lunch to all guests?” he asked.

“All meals,” Jared corrected him. “A lot of guests never leave the island while they’re here. Everybody’s gotta eat so we keep it pretty simple.”

“How about staffing? Four full-time people plus you? Any seasonal workers? How many live on the property?”

“Do you need a drink?” Jared interrupted. He waved them over to the bar. “Cuz I need a drink for all these questions.”

Jensen tucked the pen and pad into his jacket pocket. “Sure, sounds good.”

~~~

The ownership arrangement was simple on paper. When Robert Jackman died unexpectedly three months ago at the age of 56, Jensen expected everything to go to Robert’s only family, Jared Padalecki. When Jensen was named as executor and a major beneficiary, it was a surprise to everyone.

He’d handled Robert’s finances, appearances, and travel for five years and it ended up being the perfect partnership. Robert was funny, charismatic, and a great absentee boss, trusting his manager and agent to handle the details while he focused on writing and enjoying life. In the last few years, Robert did more party-hopping than writing as he traveled from place to place on his yacht. 

At thirty years old, Jensen had more autonomy and better pay with his job than most of his UCLA business school friends. It was great but with Robert’s recent travel it could be lonely. Jensen had a network of school acquaintances and publishing contacts, people who were fun to grab lunch or a drink with, and a few ex-boyfriends that still came around. He didn’t realize how much time he spent at work until Robert died on his yacht moored off of Mykonos. 

Robert’s final will was straightforward - no funeral service, ashes to his nephew, a lavish LA party for his publishing friends and fans to remember him by, followed by money stipends for his favorite charities. Jensen took weeks to settle the arrangements, selling Robert’s townhouse in Dallas, finding a broker for the yacht, and responding to the calls and emails offering condolences and asking for interviews. Last week, he finished with the lawyers and shuttered up Robert’s LA offices for good. 

World’s End was the last remaining asset. Future book royalties would go into a trust for the resort’s upkeep but ownership of the hotel fell equally to Jensen and Jared. It wasn’t ideal owning something with a total stranger but Jensen soon realized that he had another problem. Robert’s social circle in the publishing world was curious about why an attractive, young man like Jensen would be a beneficiary of such a sizable gift. At the memorial service for Robert that Jensen hosted in LA, he overheard Mark Shepard, an ex-agent of Robert’s, sharing a fake but very lurid rumor with a group of B-list writers about how Jensen was more than a friend to the older author. The sniping and betrayal made it easier for Jensen to get on that plane and leave LA behind.

Still, he needed to deal with the problem right in front of him: the tall guy in front of him ordering beers. Despite being Robert’s family, Jensen knew nothing about Jared except the birthday cards he sent through the office to his uncle. 

Jared was now distracted, chatting up one of the couples sitting at the bar, so Jensen flagged Chris down. The bartender slapped a coaster down in front of Jensen.

“Getting the low down on everything today?” Chris asked as he pulled out a pink, plastic glass and set it on the bar top in front of Jensen. He reached behind him for a pitcher filled with some frothy concoction and poured it in the glass while Jensen eyed it.

“Yeah, Jared’s giving me the tour,” Jensen replied. He glanced back over to where Jared was clapping the guest on the back and hugging his wife.

“Is he always that friendly?”

“And touchy. Better him than me.” Chris speared a cherry on top of a piece of pineapple and hung it on the side of the drink before he set it on the coaster. 

“Can’t I just get a beer?”

“You can have a beer next time. Try this. It’s the house speciality.”

Jensen raised the glass to his lips and took a tentative sip under Chris’ intense stare. Light and frothy, not too sweet. Perfect for the hot afternoon.

“This is… actually good.”

Chris slapped the counter. “Not the best compliment I’ve ever heard but I’ll take it.”

“What’s your secret?” Jensen asked and took another sip, shifting the fruit and umbrella out of the way to get at the straw better.

“It’s a secret,” Chris said with a grin.

“Well, I’m your boss now. I have ways of making you tell me,” Jensen joked.

“No, Jared is my boss. You’re just the new guy,” Chris said and walked back down towards the guests at the other end.

The last sip of the drink went down hard. Jensen was off to a great start with the staff so far.

Jared joined Jensen and flagged Chris down for a beer. “So, what do you think after your first day?”

“I think this place has a lot of potential,” Jensen said. Chris set down a second beer in front of Jensen without a word of apology or acknowledgment. “At a glance, your finances look pretty good but that’s my specialty. I’m sure I could help there.”

“Potential?” Jared repeated back. 

“Yeah, potential,” Jensen replied, not willing to back down. “Make some upgrades over time with the royalty checks: update the lobby, modernize the computer system, maybe put in an infinity pool and new deck—”

Jared shook his head. “World’s End is a retreat, a place that’s more laid back than other resorts. Beach bar, banana daiquiris, bikinis, and white sand.”

Jensen shrugged and looked around. The guests did seem to be having a good time, laughing and relaxed, so different from the upscale LA hotel bars he had frequented where people were checking their phones and watching the entrance for the latest celebrity. Maybe Jared had a point about the atmosphere here. Jensen would see tomorrow when he met the rest of the staff. In the meantime, he finished up the daiquiri and signaled Chris for another.

**Act Two: Taking the Dive**

The next morning, breakfast was a buffet with fresh tropical fruit, eggs, and pancakes. The smell of freshly-ground coffee had Jensen going back for a second cup before he started to eat. As he sat down again a small woman with shiny dark hair and a white shirt and apron popped up next to his table. 

“You must be Jensen,” she said, extending her hand. “I’m Genevieve but you can call me Gen. I run the kitchen here.”

He stood up and waved her over to the other chair. “Have a seat. This coffee is amazing.”

She smiled and folded her hands neatly on the tablecloth. “We get the beans from Jamaica. Jared wanted me to make sure that all your questions were answered.”

Jensen checked his watch and looked around the deck and into the lobby. “I’m surprised he isn’t up yet. I was hoping to finish our discussion.”

“Oh, he’s up,” Gen responded quickly. “He gets up at 6 a.m. every morning and runs, then he paddleboards. Probably find him down on the beach if you need him. Or you could just talk to me.” She leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms, raising one of her eyebrows.

Jensen matched her posture. “I get it. You all have been working with Jared for a while and I’m just the new guy.”

“Friends,” she corrected him. “We were friends first. We helped him create this place. He had a dream about running a hotel and we worked hard to build this from the bottom up. I’m just wondering where you fit in, and why a guy I’ve never heard of is now running half the place.”

“You want to know why Robert would name me as the co-owner.” Jensen said. Despite her small size, Gen was a force to be reckoned with. 

She pursed her lips. “Not my business. What is my business is how this place is run and Jared’s happiness. As long as you don’t take advantage of him, we’ll be fine.” 

“Why don’t you tell me about how the place is run. Maybe there’s something I can help with.”

Two hours and several cups of coffee later, he was impressed. World’s End had a top-rate kitchen and Gen was hands-on. She handled the supply runs personally on a nearby key to secure fresh fruit, vegetables, and fish for meals. She and Dani didn’t live on-site like Jared and Chris, choosing instead to room together on the bigger island and drive over on Gen’s boat every morning at 5 a.m. to get things started.

After the meeting, he decided to wander over to the pool and take a break. The kidney-shaped pool and separate hot tub were throwbacks to the 1980s, surrounded by flagstone and canvas umbrellas with steps leading down to the sandy beach and dock. The breeze off the water was nice and Jensen stood on the deck, soaking in the sun as he leaned on the rail

Jensen loved living in LA, its energy and the kinetic ebb and flow of people and things to do. Working for Robert gave him access. He attended art gallery openings, book signings, and cocktail parties, usually arriving alone and leaving with someone new. His cell phone was filled with the names of hook-ups who rarely lasted past the next morning, and that was fine with Jensen. But in the weeks before and after Robert’s death, he realized how thin his life was outside of work. 

Standing here, listening to the laughter of the people of the beach below, he felt like he could breathe for the first time in months.

A motion on the beach below caught his attention. Jared was dragging a paddleboard up on the sand and securing it in a rack. He pushed his wet hair back from his face before turning to the couple behind him. The woman was struggling with the board and Jared jumped in to help. He must have made a joke because laughter filtered up to where Jensen stood. After all three boards were stowed, Jared shook their hands before the couple grabbed their towels and headed up the stairs. Jared ran a towel through his hair before he noticed Jensen watching him from the deck.

“So, you’re the paddleboard instructor, too?” Jensen called down.

“It’s a full-service establishment,” Jared said with a smile.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jensen said. Their eyes met for a moment before Jared broke it by shaking out his wet hair and toweling off his torso. Jensen watched, appreciating how Jared looked thin at first glance, his board shorts hanging down from his small waist, but his pecs and shoulders were well defined and his biceps flexed as he lifted the towel to hang it around his shoulders.

A little younger than his normal type, Jensen thought, and they were business partners so he shoved that idea to the side.

“What’s on the agenda for today?” Jared asked as he walked up the steps to the deck. 

“I was thinking about a review of the books but this view is changing my mind,” Jensen said, looking out at the blue water.

“I have an idea then,” Jared smiled and motioned for Jensen to follow.

~~~

“Hey, asshole,” a blonde guy shouted at them as they walked down the wooden dock.

“Is he talking to me?” Jensen said to Jared.

“Nah, that’s for me,” Jared replied. “Meet Chad, our boat captain and general handyman. What are you working on this morning?”

“The Drunk,” Chad said. “She needs to be cleaned up before the tour this afternoon.”

“The drunk?” Jensen repeated. 

Chad snorted. “You must be the new guy that Jared didn’t trust me to pick up yesterday. Hurricane Drunk is the name of my baby.” He flourished his arms at the catamaran tied up at the dock. Like the rest of the island, the boat wasn’t new but well taken care of, sails lashed down tight and the white fiberglass sundecks reflecting back the morning sun. Chad crossed his arms and looked Jensen over. “So, what do I call you? The boss man? The other asshole? Robert’s boy toy?”

Jared gave Chad an exasperated look and Jensen replied, “Just Jensen.”

“Okay, Just Jensen,” Chad said and crossed his arms. “You here to grill me like you did Gen?”

“Wait, I didn’t--” Jensen started to reply when Jared elbowed Chad in the ribs and interrupted. 

“Just shut up and give me the keys for #2, okay?”

The boat Jared chose wasn’t as big as the Drunk. One of two identical boats tied up at the dock next to the catamaran, it had a sun canopy with two tall seats underneath that were perfect for fishing or cruising.

Jared hopped in the boat with practiced ease and turned to offer Jensen a hand like he was a sixty-year-old lady who needed help. Jensen ignored it and hopped down beside him.

“Dude, I may be from Los Angeles but I know my way around boats.” 

“We’ll see about that.” Jared twisted the key and the boat’s engines started up with a growl. “It’s about time you saw all of World’s End.”

~~~

Pulling in on the boat yesterday, Jensen had been focused on the resort but hadn’t thought about the land it sat on. He’d seen pictures of the main house and the main beach area so it seemed familiar when he landed, but the palm trees and lush greens as they pulled around the point surprised him. 

Jared began to talk about the island. Robert had brought the 75-acre tropical paradise back in the 1960s when his spy novels had first taken off and it took him three years to build the main house and surrounding buildings. The small hills around the resort rose to a jagged crest in the center that Jared and Chad jokingly called “The Slip and Slide” after they tumbled down one of the ravines in the rain. 

The thatched roofs of the four staff cabanas were visible from this side of the island. “Who lives in those?” Jensen asked.

“Me, Chris and Chad for now.”

“Why am I in the main hotel then? Shouldn’t we save that for guests?”

Jared squinted and dropped his sunglasses into place covering whatever reaction was there. “Wasn’t sure how long you’d be staying.”

“It makes no sense for me to take up a room when we could have a paying guest,” Jensen replied. “Are you hoping that I’ll move on?”

“Truth is I don’t know you at all,” Jared said.

Jensen couldn’t deny that was true. The only obvious overlap between them was Robert so maybe it was time to change that. “So, ask me anything,” Jensen said.

Jared pursed his lips seriously. “Boxers or briefs?”

“Boxer briefs,” Jensen answered. He smiled and pointed at Jared. “How about you? Boxers or briefs?”

“Door number three,” he replied. “None of the above.”

Jensen laughed and Jared wiggled his eyebrows. “You wanted to know,” Jared said.

“Okay, okay. That’s enough sharing and caring. How long does it take to go around the island? And when is lunch?” Jensen said.

“About an hour for both.” Jared brought the boat closer to shore and pointed out a pair of black and white gull-billed terns diving into the water. One popped up with a fish in its bill and the pair flew off into the coastal greenery.

Jensen was lulled by the hot sun and Jared’s voice as he chatted more about island wildlife and migrating birds that called World’s End home this time of year. Jensen leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, listening to the motor’s hum. 

“Hey, you falling asleep on me?” Jared nudged him and Jensen jerked upright. “I have a good way to wake you up,” he said and cut the engine. Water splashed gently against the fiberglass sides of the boat as it rocked in the waves. 

Jensen squinted at Jared as he walked to the stern of the boat and checked a small ladder. He looked back at Jensen once before diving off and disappearing under the water. Jensen jumped up and watched for signs of Jared.

A splash of water to the starboard side and Jensen leaned out to see Jared shaking water out of his eyes and hair and those bright dimples making shadows in the sun. “What are you waiting for?”

Jensen pulled his t-shirt over his head and licked his lips. While Jared was hard-bodied and tan from physical work around the island, Jensen was soft and pale from working in the office but it wasn’t going to stop him from enjoying the moment.

“Just waiting for your pansy-ass to get out of the way.” He dived in and let the warm water surround him before pushing for the surface. When he broke into the sun, Jared was waiting close by.

“Nice form, Ackles. You grow up swimming?”

“Spent my summers on Lake Challenger. Nothing like the Texas heat to get you into the water.”

“I bet,” Jared said. He floated closer and Jensen noticed for the first time that the bluish-green color of Jared’s eyes matched the sea. He looked like a mischievous merman ready to drag Jensen into the deep.

“Should we worry about the boat floating away?” he asked. Before Jared could answer, Jensen saw a large shadow swim underneath them, a fast-moving dark spot in the blue. “What the—” He started to kick back towards the boat before Jared grabbed his arm.

“Wait, you gotta see this.” Jared sucked in a deep breath and dived back under the water. Curiosity got the best of Jensen and he did the same. Under the boat, the shadow drifted gracefully towards them again: large front fins pushing the water behind it, a dome-shaped shell, with a round smooth head. Jensen gurgled excitedly as the giant sea turtle turned and looked at him in curiosity before it veered away to continue towards the island. He would have stayed underwater to watch if he didn’t need to breathe. He broke the surface at the same time as Jared.

“Did you see that?” he shouted, smiling so big that his face might crack in half. Jared returned the smile with a laugh. “It’s huge!”

“You’ll see a few of them around here this time of year.” Jared swam for the boat and lifted himself up on the transom. Jensen followed; this time he grabbed the hand extended to him as he climbed on the boat.

“There’s a beach on the far side of the island where they come back to nest each year. It’s protected from guests and boaters but we hike out there on occasion to check on them.”

“No way. This island is like a little slice of paradise. Why would anyone ever leave?” Jensen said more to himself as Jared grabbed a towel.

“Hurricanes,” Jared replied. Jensen looked at him, waiting for the joke, and Jared shrugged. “Every place has its thing. Here, it’s hurricanes. The season starts up in a few weeks.”

Jared seemed to ignore Jensen’s concern and instead checked out Jensen’s chest and abs to the point that Jensen had to resist the urge to cross his arms and cover up. Jared tossed him a tube of sunscreen. “You’re blinding me, Ackles. Get some sunscreen on before you burn.”

~~~

The protected sea turtle nesting site was a pristine white beach on the far side of the tallest hill on the island. Jared pulled in close but there was no activity on the sand this time of day so they headed around the point. They cruised for a few minutes before Jensen made a decision.

“When are you gonna ask me?” he said.

“Ask what?” The guarded look was back on Jared’s face, like a garage door slamming shut.

“Why Robert gave me half of this?” 

“None of my business,” Jared replied quickly.

“It is your business,” Jensen said. “Because this is our business - together. You should have an interest in your partner.”

Jared squinted at him then looked back out at the water. “Nahhhh, I don’t really want to know the details.” As they rounded the last point, the hotel’s thatched roof and the weathered dock came into view.

“Too bad, I’m going to tell you,” Jensen replied. “And it’s not what you or Chris or Chad are thinking. You and I have a lot in common.”

“Really?” Jared said. “You don’t know anything about me except that I go commando and--”

“Your parents died when you were sixteen? Yeah, same here.”

Jared’s mouth snapped shut and his eyebrows pulled together. 

“I don’t tell many people because it’s none of their business. Robert knew my dad who worked for his publisher. They were friends for years. When he found out about their deaths, he paid for my tuition at UCLA. Got my MBA and he offered me a job as his business manager. Gave him more time to travel and have fun.”

“I didn’t know,” Jared shook his head. “I’m sorry about your folks and sorry that I thought you were… you know.”

“Yeah, well, don’t sweat it. Everyone has been jumping to that conclusion. Your Uncle Robert may have been a playboy and a bit of an asshole at times, but he had a soft heart and I owe him a lot.”

As Jared pulled the boat up to the dock, the Hurricane Drunk sparkled in the midday sun and a blond head popped up from below decks. Chad wiped at his forehead and left a grease streak. He ran over to help them tie off the lines.

“‘Bout time you got back. I’ve been working my ass off while you two went on your little Gilligan’s Island cruise. Gen made paella and I’m starving.”

**Act Three: Jumping in the Deep End**

Even walking the fifty yards from the back door of the resort to his cabana, carrying his small suitcase and duffel bag, Jensen sweated. He was eager to move in and get to know the guys better instead of being treated like a temporary guest in the hotel. However, the midday June heat was brutal. He set the luggage inside the door and Chad ran into him from behind with the big suitcase. 

“Keep moving, boss,” Chad grouched as he pushed past.

The cabana was a studio apartment, not much bigger than his suite in the main building but with an efficiency kitchen and a basic bathroom with a shower. The hibiscus-print curtains on the windows and bamboo-paneled walls lined with photos made it feel much more like home. Jensen examined each one of the photos, various shots of Jared, Chad, Chris, Dani and Gen with a blond guy with a beard and guitar.

“That’s Steve,” Chad said. “Good friend of Chris’s. Abandoned us for a gig singing on the mainland but guess you gotta follow your dreams.”

Jensen opened the kitchen cabinets to find the basic necessities - a few cheap melamine dishes, the kind of silverware that bends when you use it, plastic drinking glasses with flowers on them, and a glass smoking pipe that smelled of old weed.

“Don’t worry about cooking. Gen always makes enough food for the staff,” Chad said.

“Well, that’s a bonus.” 

“I’ll let you unpack or iron your shorts or whatever you do when you’re alone,” Chad said. He snapped his fingers as he backed towards the door. “Tomorrow’s Friday. Big luau on the beach for the guests. We have to start digging the pit first thing in the morning. You up for that, boss man?”

Jensen saluted and Chad ran off up the side path to the dock to take guests out on the Drunk for its afternoon cruise.

He looked around again and sighed. The counters and floors were dusty and the mattress was bare, but even with that, the place had more character than his white plaster-walled rental in California. There was a knock on his open door and he turned to find Dani with a bucket of cleaning supplies. 

“I love Steve but this place is probably as clean as a frat house on a Sunday morning,” she said with a grimace. “Want some help getting it into shape?”

Jensen took the bucket and waved her in. “I’d love it.”

~~~

Early morning sun found its way through the palm fronds and into Jensen’s window. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and listened to the birds calling to each other outside before wandering over to the kitchenette. Dani was nice enough to grab one of the small coffee makers for Jensen’s room so all he had to do was pop in a pod and let it brew while he jumped in the shower.

Walking the path a few minutes later, Jensen smiled at the hibiscus and bougainvillea blooms that were everywhere on the property. The flowers were common enough in LA but those sparse plants were sad imitations choked by lack of water and overabundance of smog compared to these explosions of tropical pink and green. Through the leaves, a flash of white caught his attention. On one of the patios, Jared was facing the sunrise and stretching, working his way silently, fluidly, through a series of yoga poses. Jensen couldn’t help but push the leaves aside and stare. Jared had been half-naked ever since they met the first day and yet somehow this was sexier: his sleeveless white t-shirt strung between broad shoulders, his slouchy cotton shorts barely hanging on his sharp hips, the peaceful look on Jared’s face as he moved into Warrior pose. Jensen had been to his share of yoga classes in LA where he saw displays of physical perfection in form-fitting spandex and wealthy moguls trying to project inner peacefulness. But nothing in California compared to this—

“Peeping through the bushes?” Jensen startled out of his Jared-induced trance and spilled half of his coffee to find Chad behind him, arms crossed.

“No, I wasn’t—” Jensen started to respond but then stopped when he realized how it looked. “—stalking.” 

“You don’t watch me, do you?” Chad said, squinting hard

“Oh, god, no,” Jensen answered. 

Chad reached past Jensen to push the bush aside and stuck his head through. “Jared, stop that yoga shit. You’re giving Jensen a heart attack. We got work to do.”

~~~

A luau sounded fun but was a lot of work. Digging the pit, filling it with stones, stoking the hot coals - by the time Chris and Jared lowered the burlap-covered pig in, Jensen was covered in dirt and charcoal dust. 

“Now what?” he said.

“We relax until tonight,” Jared said. “Gen picked up the fresh flower leis and is working on the rest of the menu and Chris will set up the beach torches.”

“Flower leis, huh? Isn’t that more Hawaiian than Caribbean?” Jensen asked.

“A lot of places have these kinds of celebrations. Caribbean-style just means we’re more carnival than hula.” Jared bent his knees and swung his hips in some terrible approximation of a hula dance while Sadie jumped around him in the sand. Jensen snorted out a laugh. “Let’s see you try then.” 

Jensen threw his hands up. “No way, I’m not a dancer.”

“Maybe Dani can give you a lesson tonight with the guests.”

They trudged back to their own cabanas. After a hot shower, Jensen dug out his camera and decided to explore. Narrow footpaths weaved in and out of thick greenery and were bordered with white stones and small hand-painted signs with arrows back to the resort every few feet. Jensen was expecting more sandy beaches and palms but was happily surprised by the jungle feel of the island. An iguana crossed his path, three feet of slow-moving mini dragon, and it stopped as Jensen started taking pictures as if to pose and headed off again into the bushes. A brilliantly colored parrot swept in over his head with its blue and yellow feathers on display and landed on a branch over the path, cocking its head to observe him as much as he was watching it. 

“Whatcha looking at?” the bird said. Jensen looked around to see if anyone else just heard the parrot talk. “You’re a pretty bird,” he said back and the bird hopped from one foot to the next on the branch as if Jensen had said the magic word. “Pretty bird wants a cracker,” it said and Jensen laughed and shook his head. “Sorry, I don’t have any crackers with me,” he replied. The bird squawked irritably and took off.

~~~

“You saw old Charlie the parrot?” Chris said as he handed Jensen another bottle of Red Stripe.

“You guys name all the animals here?” Jensen replied.

“Of course not--,” Chris said and then tilted his head, “--I mean Jared might. Charlie is one of Robert’s old parrots. He used to keep them in a cage inside the main house but let them go one day. Said they needed to be free. Charlie and Clarisse and their babies have roamed the island ever since.”

The beer went down smoothly, just like the other three had, and Jensen felt a fuzzy warmth spread from his gut into his chest and head. There were ten guests at the luau and he smiled as he watched Jared float from couple to couple, smiling and listening intently as they talked. Everyone on Jared’s team had their jobs and it was a well-oiled machine.

“Alright, everyone,” Dani called out, her curls shining in the flickering beach torches. “Who wants to dance?” The group hooted and Chad changed the song on the music system to something with a steel-drum beat. Dani grabbed Jensen’s hand and pulled him in line behind her, setting it on her hip and the guests fell in behind them. He drunkenly followed Dani’s dance steps and directions, stumbling a couple of times in the sand but caught on quickly and couldn’t stop smiling like an idiot as Chad and Chris cheered him on.

Jared stood at the edge of the crowd, fading into the shadows. Jensen caught his eye and gave him a nod to join but Jared shook his head and then grabbed a couple more beers out of the tin cooler filled with ice. He looked up at the full moon before walking down the beach.

Jensen started to pull away as the conga line broke up but Dani wrangled him in looping her arm through his as an old Jimmy Buffett song started. Everyone knew the words and all the guests joined in some off-key singing of _searchin' for my long lost shaker of salt_. As they finished, Jensen pulled away and Chris held out another open beer for him.

“You trying to get me drunk?” Jensen said. 

Chris flashed him a smile as he pulled out his own bottle. “Hoping you spill all your secrets, boss.”

“Where’d Jared go?” Jensen asked. Even with the bright light of the moon above, he couldn’t find Jared anywhere on the beach.

“Full moon always puts him in a mood,” Chris said. “Best to just let him go.”

But letting things go was never Jensen’s strong suit. He waited until Chad got everyone’s attention for a limbo contest before heading off down the beach where he last saw Jared. The full moon lit the fine white sand up like a spotlight was on it and Jensen slipped off his sandals to feel it between his toes. Five minutes later he spotted Jared. 

His feet were planted in the sand, eyes closed and head tilted as he listened to the gentle waves hit the beach and Jensen was drawn in like a magnet. Jared seemed to be at peace, a private reverie with the moon, but something about the lines on Jared’s forehead that were pulled together in thought made Jensen speak. 

“You okay?” 

Jared turned with a soft, drunken smile. “Just thinking about my uncle. He taught me to swim on this beach.” He collapsed down to the sand, his long legs sticking out in front of him and threw himself on his back. “That was a great summer.”

“I bet,” Jensen said. He dropped down next to Jared on the sand. He tried to set his beer down next to him but tipped over and spilled out in the sand. “Damn it.”

Jared didn’t hear and kept staring up at the full moon. He held his weaving fingers up to frame it in the starry sky above them. “Love you to the moon and back. That’s what my uncle used to say. So cheesy,” Jared said. “He always made me feel that it was okay to just be a kid, to do what I wanted. Now he’s gone and I have to be the adult.”

Jensen glanced at Jared before he turned back to the stars above them. “Dude, you’re twenty-six. You run a hotel. I think you’ve got the adult thing down.”

The sand was a soft bed as they lay there, staring up at the stars and listening to the quiet rush of the waves hitting the shore just beyond them, not quite tickling the soles of their feet.

“Do you ever--” Jared stopped and sighed. Jensen rolled up on his side to look at Jared’s face scrunched up in concern. Whether it was too much beer or being alone on this stretch of beach, Jensen couldn’t help but reach out and run his thumb along Jared’s forehead to smooth out the expression there and then cupped his face. Jared rubbed his warm cheek into the palm of Jensen’s hand, his pink lips open as he relaxed into the touch.

“That feels nice.”

“Whatever you’re worried about, stop.” Jensen pulled Jared’s jaw to tilt his face up and gently kissed him once on the lips. “At least for tonight.”

Jared grabbed the back of Jensen’s neck and pulled him back in. The kiss lost its softness, became more urgent and hungry and before Jensen knew it, he was rolled over on his back with Jared on top of him. The pressure felt good, too good, and he reached down to move Jared to the side and instead ended up with two handfuls of Jared’s ass. His drunken brain must have short-circuited and his other brain took over; instead of pushing Jared off, he slipped his hands under Jared’s waistband and kneaded his bare skin, pulling him closer with a groan.

“Wait, wait,” Jared slurred and Jensen froze in place, wondering what he had done wrong. “Beach sex is the worst. All that sand,” Jared said. “Let’s get out of here.”

They laughed as they awkwardly tried to stand up, brushing sand from their shorts and hair. Jared yanked on the waistband of Jensen’s shorts and pulled him towards the dark treeline.

“Where are we going?” Jensen asked. 

“Trust me,” Jared replied. He tugged Jensen’s arm and they walked to the right about twenty feet. Jensen spotted two white rocks marking a path back to the hotel. “This leads right back to the cabanas,” Jared said and then stopped and kissed Jensen again. “If we’re gonna do this, let’s find a real bed.”

As they stumbled through the trees with Jared taking the lead, Jensen could hear reggae music from luau still going on the beach. He thought briefly how fucking Jared could be the best thing or the worst thing he’d done, how maybe this wasn’t smart, but then they popped out of the dark into the open courtyard of the cabanas. With Chris and Chad at the party, they had the place to themselves and Jensen decided to take full advantage of that.

“My place,” Jensen said, taking control back and guiding Jared to the last cabana, pushing him through the door. He flipped Jared and held him up against the wall as the door closed behind them. This close up, Jensen could breathe in Jared’s smell - the salty sweat of his skin, the dry dust of the sand in his hair, the beer on his tongue. He kissed under Jared’s jaw and sucked on a patch of soft skin there. Jared moaned and spread his feet out to pull Jensen harder against his chest.

“Are you okay with—” Jensen whispered in Jared’s ear.

“Oh, I’m _more_ than okay,” Jared replied. “With any of it. All of it. But we were talking about a bed?”

Jensen pulled him over to the edge of the mattress and they tumbled down together on it, laughing as Jared pulled his t-shirt over his head only to have it hook on one of his elbows and Jensen fumbled with the tie on his swim trunks. 

“This should be a lot easier,” Jensen said, plucking at the knot. Jared, now free of his shirt, ignored the knot and gave Jensen’s waistband a good yank, pulling them past Jensen’s hips and ass. “That works, too,” Jensen said. He shimmied the shorts the rest of the way off and threw them on the floor. Jared yanked off his own swim trunks and twirled them once above his head before tossing them halfway across the room. 

Jensen sat up, wondering if he should turn on the lights—he wanted to see all the curves and dips of Jared’s body—but decided not to waste any time with that tonight. Jared was stretched out across the mattress with his arms thrown over his head while Jensen rolled over on his side to grab the lube and a condom from the nightstand. Having sex tonight was the last thing on Jensen’s mind when he unpacked yesterday; he just placed them in the drawer from habit.

Once he had them in hand, he rolled off the side of the bed and climbed up at the end between Jared’s legs. It was awkward; they were both big guys and the queen-sized mattress dipped precariously as Jensen moved into place.

“I like this view,” Jared said. Happy, drunk, and hard, Jared crossed his arms behind his head to get the right angle to watch. He grunted as Jensen pushed his thighs apart. “The view may be nice but I think you’ll like this more,” Jensen said. 

Jared was smooth everywhere which was a nice surprise. Jensen usually liked hair—beards and chest and legs—reliable signs of experience, but this was nice. He dipped his head down and ran his tongue along Jared’s cock from balls to tip and Jared groaned. “You’re smooth like a dolphin,” Jensen unintentionally shared the thought in his head out loud, “or Michael Phelps.”

Jared’s head came up, his forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What?” 

Jensen ignored him and slipped Jared’s cock in his mouth, sliding it towards the back of his throat. He could feel Jared’s thighs clenching under his palms and knew he was doing it right as Jared started a litany of soft cursing above him as he bobbed his head up and down. A minute later, Jared tapped him on the ear.

“Wait, wait, too fast,” Jared said. Jensen pulled off with a pop. “I want to come while you fuck me.”

Jensen’s mouth fell open but no words came out. “Shit,” Jared said, suddenly tense. “You don’t do that? Okay--”

“No, no,” Jensen replied. “I do. Both. Either. Whatever. I just didn’t know--”

Jared sat up to kiss him and they bonked foreheads together and laughed. 

“This is a disaster,” Jared said as he rubbed his head.

“No, it’s not,” Jensen replied and leaned in to finish the kiss the right way. “Now, let’s do this.”

Jared flipped on his stomach and then brought his hand around to touch Jensen’s side and guide him into place over Jared’s back. With one hand on Jared’s back, Jensen used the other to search the covers blindly for the plastic tube and the crinkly foil of the condom, giving an aha when he found them laying next to Jared’s hip.

The lube was cool as he drizzled a pool on Jared’s lower back, causing the other man to shiver at the contact. Jensen drags two fingers through the slick and brings them down to where he could work Jared open. If the noises and string of dirty talk from Jared were any indications, Jensen was hitting the right spots. By the time Jared started to fuck himself back on Jensen’s fingers, Jensen was more than ready. He slid in and it didn’t take long before they were enthusiastically banging the headboard against the wall. For the briefest moment, Jensen tried to remember how close the other cabanas were together and who lived in the next one over, but then his drunken id and impending orgasm chased that thought out of his head.

Light-headed, Jensen collapsed on top of Jared’s back. By the time he rolled off to the side, Jared seemed to be snoring into the pillow and Jensen let himself drop off to sleep.

**Act Four: Treading Water**

The next morning, Jensen woke up alone. The messed-up covers and the smell of sex told him last night’s adventures weren’t a dream and sobriety hit him like a stone wall. He’d enjoyed his share of one night stands in LA. The chances that he’d run into that person again in a city as big as LA were small so he never thought twice. But sleeping with your co-worker, your co-owner, on an island this small wasn’t a smart move. Who knew how Jared would take this - he seemed easy-going and good-natured - but things could easily go south.

The cabana door swung open and startled him out of running through his worst-case scenarios as Jared walked in with a basket that looked small in his giant hands. Jared smiled, pink-cheeked and freshly showered.

“You’re all out of coffee pods. Thought you could use some more,” he said, setting it on the counter before heading back to the door. “Catch you later. I got a paddleboard lesson to teach this morning.”

He left and Jensen was relieved and unsure. Maybe things weren’t going to be difficult between them after all. Could it be that easy?

~~~

“What do you mean? Update?” Jared said as they walked into the lobby a few days later. They’d been busy seeing off the old guests and welcoming a bachelorette party on Saturday morning after the luau so there was little time for the two of them to talk. 

“You know, get some furniture in the main lobby that isn’t from the 70s,” Jensen replied. “We can hire a decorator - there’s a budget for it now that the estate is settled.”

“No way, people love our retro vibe here,” Jared replied as Dani flagged them over to the reception desk. 

“Retro is just a nice way of saying old,” Jensen said and Jared rolled his eyes.

“You’ve got visitors in the bar,” Dani said to Jensen. “Also, that storm that’s supposed to hit south of here? It’s been upgraded to a tropical storm warning and it may be heading our way.”

“Jeff’s here?” Jensen smiled and then frowned. “Wait, a storm warning? What does that mean?”

“Means we need to start watching it,” Jared said, already focused on the news as he walked off to the office with Dani. “We should provide all the guests with the emergency preparedness info and let them know things could get rough.”

They seemed to have everything in hand so Jensen hurried out to the deck bar. There, chatting with his entourage of two was Jeffrey Dean Morgan—author, actor, and sex on two legs. Jensen’s breath caught as it always did when he saw Jeff. The salt and pepper beard, the liquid brown eyes that sparkled with interest at whoever was speaking, the casual confidence—Jeff was all the things that Jensen hoped to be one day.

As Jensen walked up, Jeff’s eyes softened with a familiar heavy-lidded look. “Jensen, finally.” They hugged and Jeff patted the back of Jensen’s neck, his warm hand lingered for a moment there. “You remember Norman and Andrew? You met at that rooftop thing at the Peninsula? They had some time off and wanted to join me on this adventure.”

The two men, who looked like they’d be more comfortable on the back of a Harley then on the beach, gave Jensen a nod and went back to their own conversation.

“Good to see you, old man. Let me get you a drink,” Jensen said.

“Whiskey neat,” Jeff said. “None of that fruity stuff, Jen.”

Jensen nodded and turned to Chris who was giving a side-eye to Jeff’s party as he pulled out the whiskey. Jensen stopped him before he poured. “The good stuff, Chris.” 

Jensen scooped the highball glasses off the bar and turned to find Jeff shaking hands with Jared and exchanging introductions. Jensen handed one of the whiskeys to Jeff and then looked awkwardly to the remaining one in his hand and back up at Jared. He started to hand it to him but Jared waved him off.

“Don’t drink the strong stuff, huh, kid?” Jeff said with a flash of teeth and a wolf’s smile.

“No, just have some work to do. I’m sure you two want to catch up.” He gave a tight nod to Jensen and walked back into the hotel lobby.

Jeff tilted his head and watched Jared walk away before turning his attention back to Jensen. “Now I can see why I haven’t heard from you recently.”

“No, it isn’t—” He stopped because it _was_ like that between him and Jared now. At least, he hoped so. They hadn’t hooked up since the night of the luau but Jared had been friendly and flirtatious over the last few days. “I was busy with Robert’s estate. How long are you staying?”

“Three days. Got to get back for a book signing in New York this Saturday. This is a sweet little place you got here.”

“It is,” Jensen agreed. “Jared and his people have done a good job running it.”

“Ahhh, I’m sure they did,” Jeff said, throwing his arm around Jensen’s shoulders, pulling him in tight under his wing. “But now that you’re here, you’ll be able to turn a tidy profit on this venture and get back to your real life. We miss you in LA. I miss you.” 

Jensen was close enough to smell Jeff’s beard oil, custom made for him at a shop in Beverly Hills with amber and bergamot. That warm smell and Jeff’s gruff voice used to make Jensen’s stomach drop and he would rearrange everything on his calendar to hook up when Jeff was back in town from his book tour. Their relationship was insanely passionate and sweaty for about six months and then it was over—for the most part.

“World’s End? C’mon, Jen,” Jeff said and Jensen looked up in confusion. “First thing you gotta do is change that name. Come up with something sexy.”

Across the lobby, Jared was talking to Dani, looking back over his shoulder at them. Jensen ducked out from under Jeff’s hold. “Let's get you and the boys settled and we can talk more at dinner.”

~~~

“Here’s to Jen,” Jeff said with a broad smile and a glass of top-shelf scotch raised high over the remains of an amazing meal. He tipped it at Jensen before clinking glasses with Norman and Andrew, ignoring Jared who sat to Jensen’s right. “Always knew you’d make your own way. Just didn’t expect you would do it on some tropical island in the middle of nowhere.” Jeff’s arm casually rested on the back of Jensen’s chair and their shoulders brushed together as Jeff leaned across him to speak to Jared.

“You’ve got yourself quite a bargain with Jen,” he said.

“Yup,” Jared said, his lips thin and straight as he nodded. “We’re lucky.”

Jensen, uncomfortable from being in the crosshairs between two lovers, grabbed the wine bottle and topped off Jeff’s glass and changed the subject. “How were your rooms?” he said.

“Cute, it’s real cute,” Jeff said. “Looking forward to trying out that king-size bed later tonight.”

“Cute?” Jared spoke up, his voice as tight as his smile. “What does that mean?”

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice here but all these tropical prints remind me of my grandma’s dresses.”

Jensen raised his eyebrows and gave Jared an “I told you” look. Jared pushed back from the table. “How about I check on our dessert?” he said. “I want to make sure we meet your high expectations.”

“Touchy,” Jeff said as Jared left. “Must be a tough partner to work with.”

“Actually we get along great,” Jensen replied. In the doorway, Chad ran into Jared and Jensen watched as the two got into an animated discussion before Jared returned to the table.

“Gentleman, I have some bad news,” Jared said. “The tropical storm to the south that we’ve been tracking has turned towards us and is gaining strength.”

“Whaaaat,” Norman said, “we just got here.”

“We’ll know more tomorrow but don’t get too comfortable tonight,” Jared said. “We may have to evacuate tomorrow to be safe.”

“Well, now,” Jeff said as Jared headed back inside. “This is an exciting trip. Sort of a last night on earth scenario, right?” He winked at Jensen.

“I better see what needs to be done before tomorrow then,” Jensen said, pushing back from the table. Jeff looked disappointed for a minute before turning back to his friends 

**Act Five: Swept Away**

The weather news through the night confirmed Jared’s guess about evacuation. A category-one hurricane had hit Barbados and was only getting started. Jared pulled the emergency preparedness notebook out of the safe and set it on the desk, reviewing and assigning tasks to everyone on the small staff as the grey storm clouds grew on the horizon.

Jared informed all the guests at breakfast that they would need to evacuate. The resort’s facilities were too small, intended only for a small family, so they had an agreement with one of the larger hotels on the mainland to use their shelters and facilities for World’s End guests and staff during a crisis like this. The first drops of rain hit as Chad was wrangling the nine remaining guests and their baggage on board the Drunk. Jensen gave Jeff and his posse a quick farewell before Chad hustled them on board. Jeff seemed to get over it quickly as Chad introduced them to members of the bachelorette party who were already on board.

Then the hands-on work began. Jared and Chris attached the hurricane shutters to all of the windows, while Jensen helped Gen and Dani with the umbrellas and outdoor furniture, folding chairs up and putting them into secure storage. Two hours later, the storm had been upgraded to category two and Jared convinced Chris to go with the girls in Gen’s boat while he and Jensen went through the final checklist. Jared had insisted on staying with Sadie in the small basement storm shelter, and Jensen had insisted on staying with his co-owner to ride out the storm.

Exhaustion set in as they walked back up the steps to the main building. “You’re sure the shelter is safe?” Jensen asked for the third time.

“I’m sure,” Jared said, sounding as tired and testy as Jensen felt. “My uncle and I had to stay in there once during a storm and it was fine. Unless of course, you’re expecting the Four Seasons treatment.”

Jensen pulled up short on the last step. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Good news for you though. If the storm is bad enough, this place will be destroyed and you’ll get your wish to update it all you want. Then maybe you and Jeff can rebuild it the way you want, _business partner_ ,” Jared spat out the words as raindrops ran down his face. They were both ready to drop and this was no time for a fight but Jensen couldn’t help himself.

“Is that’s all we are - _business partners_? Is that what last week meant to you?” Jensen replied.

As Jared opened the front door, Sadie came running out to meet him. The dog’s ears were plastered back to her head and her brown eyes were wide with fear. There was a crack of lightning and she took off at a run, disappearing around the far corner of the porch.

“Shit,” Jared yelled. “Get inside and I’ll be right back. Do it!” he shouted when Jensen hesitated. Jared ran off and a gust of wind slammed the door shut as Jensen stepped inside.

~~~

An hour later and Jared still wasn’t back. The storm was picking up speed according to the weather station as Jensen sat in the office and went over their checklist once more. He flipped through the pages of the notebook to see what they had missed. Everything was done except for the two of them retreating to the basement shelter. He slammed the notebook shut, wondering if he should go out in the storm and look for Jared or just grab a whiskey bottle and retreat. That’s when he noticed a letter stuck to the bottom of the notebook. He peeled it off and looked closer.

It was Robert’s favorite blue stationery with his block handwriting on the front. The envelope was addressed to Jared and still sealed. Much as he wanted to open it, just as he opened hundreds of letters from Robert before, Jensen stuck it in his jacket pocket to give to Jared later. If later ever came.

Out in the lobby, the teak front doors slammed open with a wet slap of wind and Jensen ran out of the office to find Jared standing there, drenched and miserable. His wet hair whipped back and forth across his face as another gust rattled the doors on their hinges. Jared stumbled forward a step, looking exhausted, and Jensen caught him before he fell.

Jensen wasn’t sure whether to slap him or hug him.

“Where the hell have you been?” Jensen yelled over the wind.

Sadie sat on the wet tiles next to her owner, looking just as wet and upset. “I couldn’t leave her behind,” Jared said.

Jensen grabbed Jared’s face between his palms. “Don’t ever do that again.” All he wanted was to kiss Jared at that moment and never let him go. Instead, Jared cringed in pain as he shifted to put weight on his left leg. 

“Shut the door,” Jared said. “Let’s get downstairs first.” 

Shutting the lobby doors was easier said than done. The wind pushed back and Jensen struggled until a break between the gusts let him push and locked them. A puddle of water was growing around Jared and Sadie so Jensen carefully slipped his arm around Jared’s waist and guided him carefully across the slick tile with Sadie padding along behind. Jensen took one last look around the lobby. All the windows and doors were straining against the howling wind outside. They hadn’t even seen the worst of the storm yet but their preparations would have to do for now. Jared limped and Jensen held him steady as they approached the door to the storm shelter, tucked away behind the reception desk. Jared hissed painfully when they started down the stairs and Sadie whined behind them.

“Don’t worry, girl,” Jensen said. “I got him.”

A couple of lanterns lit up the storeroom beyond the reinforced door, throwing shadows cans of food, bottles of water and batteries on the shelves. Two inflatable mattresses with sleeping bags and a chair were pulled out in the center, along with a pile of blankets on the floor that Sadie promptly sniffed at and made her bed.

“You should have left with the others,” Jared said as Jensen set him on one of the sleeping bags. Jensen grabbed a towel from a nearby shelf and tossed it to him.

“And you need to dry off” was Jensen’s only response. He bent to take off Jared’s shoes but saw his bare feet again which were dirty and scraped up and his ankle was swollen like a melon. 

“I lost the flip flops when I fell down the hill,” Jared said. 

“You fell down the hill?” Jensen shook his head. 

“The Slip and Slide. So busy looking for Sadie that I wasn’t paying attention,” Jared said and Sadie thumped her tail against the floor as if happily confirming Jared’s story. “Must have hit my head on something because when I woke up, Sadie was licking my face and the storm was much worse.”

“Don’t ever do that again, okay?” Jensen said.

“Be a dumbass?” Jared joked. “I don’t think—”

“No, disappear on me like that,” Jensen said and Jared nodded back. Jensen continued to clean Jared’s foot off before he wrapped it with a bandage from the first aid kit and elevated it on a pillow. “I think that’s all I can do for now. Just stay off of it.”

The wind howled above and something big cracked above them. Sadie jumped on the air mattress next to Jared, huddling into his side.

“We’re not going anywhere for a while,” Jared said. 

Jensen pulled the whiskey bottle off the shelf from where he stashed it earlier. He cracked it open and tried to ignore the gusts and rattles above them. “No time like the present for a little liquid comfort.”

~~~

The whiskey was half gone and Jared was half asleep before Jensen remembered the letter in his pocket.

“Jared, I have something for you,” Jensen said. Jared hummed a happy drunk noise in response as Jensen pulled it out. 

“Ahhh, it’s only a piece of paper. I was hoping for more,” Jared joked as he pushed Sadie off his lap and took the letter.

“It’s from your Uncle Robert,” Jensen replied and the drunk smile on Jared’s face faltered as he unfolded it. “I found it in the safe, stuck to the bottom of the emergency notebook.”

In the flickering light of the lantern, Robert’s bold handwriting on the front of the envelope read: TO BE READ IN THE EVENT OF MY DEATH. Jared flipped it over to find the envelope still sealed shut. “You didn’t open it?”

Jensen shook his head. “It’s not for me.”

Jared took a deep breath and ran his thumb under the flap, ripping the envelope open. His eyes began to tear up as he read out loud from the single sheet of paper.

> _Dear Jared--_
> 
> _If you’re reading this then something has happened to me. I hope I died a brilliant death, something with adventure surrounded by beautiful women, but if not, please make up a good story to tell everyone._
> 
> _First, let me say how proud I am of you, what you’ve created here, how you have faced each day without your parents. To be honest, I wasn’t there for you, not like you needed - I know this. You have a soft heart and need someone to be your family. You deserve that much._
> 
> _You may wonder why I decided to leave half of the hotel and the trust to Jensen. Like you, he’s become almost like a son to me. Maybe someday he will tell you his story. Like you, Jensen is someone who deserves a new family, one that is better than what I could ever provide. Maybe you two could find that together._
> 
> _Jensen has a keen business mind and you are the glue to keep people happy and motivated - you two could be a great team. I know it._
> 
> _Love you to the moon and back,_
> 
> _Uncle Robert_

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Jared wiped at his eyes and refolded the letter.

“He’s right, you know,” Jensen said. “About needing a family. You already have the start of one here.”

Jared nodded. “He’s also right about another thing. We make a good team. If you want to stay? I won’t make you--”

Jensen leaned over and kissed him. Jared’s lips were salty from the tears and Jensen was glad to clean those up, too.

“I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me now.”


End file.
